Tag: Public Forum Presentation

Public Forum Presentation to the
Waipuna Hallswell Hornby Riccarton Community Board
From Historic Places Canterbury (HPC)
Tuesday 29th March 2022

Public Forum Presentation to the
Waipuna Hallswell Hornby Riccarton Community Board
From Historic Places Canterbury (HPC)
Tuesday 29th March 2022

Chair, Councillors and Community Board Members,


"Thank You" for allowing me to make this Public Forum presentation.
My name is Mark Gerrard and I am Chair of the heritage NGO Historic Places Canterbury.
This presentation is to inform you of Historic Places Canterbury's reservations about a report recently presented to the Council and presumably passed by the Board, on the proposed demolition of the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library.
Our concerns about the report are the following:
HPC could not find a Heritage Assessment from the Council Heritage Team
HPC found no mention of the Council Heritage Strategy “Our Heritage Our Taonga”
No public Engagement.
Very recently, I made a personal Deputation expressing the same concerns on a report to the Waikura Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board on the proposed demolition of Woodham Park Caretaker's Residence.
That Board chose to have the report lay on the table whilst:
A Heritage Assessment of the Woodham Park Caretaker's Residence was conducted and a Public Engagement for possible future community use was carried out.
Those of you with longer memories will recall we almost lost the Yaldhurst Memorial Hall in similar circumstances. Responding to a HPC presentation, assurances were given then, there would be a change in management procedures ensuring the Heritage Team would be brought in earlier in the CCC decision making process, to advise and assess.
HPC considers the Community Boards as often, having the best appreciation of your Heritage. As the local guardians of your heritage, HPC asks that you be vigilant in this your role.
HPC recognises that often the Board can only make recommends to the full Council. HPC is of the belief that where there is a possibility Heritage may be involved, you require any report that is to be received:
Address the Council Heritage Policy “Our Heritage Our Taonga”
Ask/ensure the Council Heritage Team’s input/advice be sought
On a more broader issue HPC considers when it comes to the future of a Council owned building with a social history, the default setting should be Public Engagement to ascertain if there is a community use for it. This should occur before any decisions and reports about its future eg sale or demolition, are written.
The Council's Heritage Strategy has been broadened and includes social history, it recognises, as we all should, the importance of "Our Heritage, Our Taonga".
Thank You for listening to this Presentation.
Mark Gerrard
Chair Historic Places Canterbury

Historic Places Canterbury Public Forum Presentation To The Waipuna Hallswell Hornby Riccarton Community Board (29:03:2022)

Public Forum Presentation to the 
Waipuna Hallswell Hornby Riccarton Community Board

From Historic Places Canterbury (HPC)

Tuesday 29th March 2022

Chair, Councillors and Community Board Members,

"Thank You" for allowing me to make this Public Forum presentation.

My name is Mark Gerrard and I am Chair of the heritage NGO Historic Places Canterbury. This presentation is to inform you of Historic Places Canterbury's reservations about a report recently presented to the Council and presumably passed by the Board, on the proposed demolition of the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library.

Our concerns about the report are the following:

HPC could not find a Heritage Assessment from the Council Heritage Team

HPC found no mention of the Council Heritage Strategy “Our Heritage Our Taonga”

No public Engagement.

Very recently, I made a personal Deputation expressing the same concerns on a report to the Waikura Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board on the proposed demolition of Woodham Park Caretaker's Residence. 

That Board chose to have the report lay on the table whilst:

A Heritage Assessment of the Woodham Park Caretaker's Residence was conducted and 

Public Engagement for possible future community use was carried out.

Those of you with longer memories will recall we almost lost the Yaldhurst Memorial Hall in similar circumstances. Responding to a HPC presentation, assurances were given then, there would be a change in management procedures ensuring the Heritage Team would be brought in earlier in the CCC decision making process, to advise and assess.

HPC considers the Community Boards as often, having the best appreciation of your Heritage. As the local guardians of your heritage, HPC asks that you be vigilant in this your role.

HPC recognises that often the Board can only make recommends to the full Council. HPC is of the belief that where there is a possibility Heritage may be involved, you require any report that is to be received:

Address the Council Heritage Policy “Our Heritage Our Taonga”

Ask/ensure the Council Heritage Team’s input/advice be sought

On a more broader issue HPC considers when it comes to the future of a Council owned building with a social history, the default setting should be Public Engagement to ascertain if there is a community use for it. This should occur before any decisions and reports about its future eg sale or demolition, are written. 

The Council's Heritage Strategy has been broadened and includes social history, it recognises, as we all should, the importance of "Our Heritage, Our Taonga".

Thank You for listening to this Presentation.

Mark Gerrard

Chair Historic Places Canterbury

Historic Places Canterbury Public Forum Presentation to Christchurch City Council (30:03:2022)

30th March 2022

Chair, Mayor and Councillors, Thank you for allowing 

Historic Places Canterbury to make this Public Forum presentation.

Historic Places Canterbury (HPC) as you will be aware has expressed our concerns with the report on the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library.

They were briefly the following:

HPC could not find a Heritage Assessment from the Heritage Team.

We could find no reference to the CCC Strategy “Our Heritage Our Taonga”.

Lack of Public Engagement.

Recently, I made a personal Deputation to the Waikura Linwood-Central-Heathcote Community Board concerning the recommended demolition of the Woodham Park Caretaker's Residence. My Deputation raised the same three criticisms as HPC raised on the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library report. The Community Board resolved for the report to lay on the table whilst a Heritage Assessment is done and Public Engagement on the future of the building is sought.

HPC is very concerned there may be a pattern that if a building is not listed or scheduled then “Our Heritage Our Taonga” does not apply nor should advice or input from the CCC Heritage Team be sought.

If this is the case, HPC believes this is contrary to Our Heritage Our Taonga. HPC considers it should be the CCC default setting, and the Staff should be proactive on this, that if there is a decision to be made on a building which has a social history or heritage, no matter how minor, whatever its District Plan status, Our Heritage Our Taonga applies and Heritage Team advice and input should be sought. This advice/ input should be sought very early in the CCC processes.

HPC seeks your support for this.

HPC is concerned Public Engagement priority is determined by the early decision making made leading up to the final report. HPC considers where practical Public Engagement should occur early on in the CCC processes to determine if there is community interest in the future of a building. 

HPC seeks your support for this.

The greenest buildings is the one that already exists. (Publication:"There's No Place like Old Homes. Re-use and recycle to reduce carbon" Historic England.)

HPC respectfully requests the CCC and its entities should adopt Whole of Life Carbon Cycle Costs when costing its buildings. Any comparison between refurbishment of an existing and demolishing / building new should include these costs. (The demolition costs should include end of life costings.)

HPC has an interest in the future of the Barnett Avenue Pensioner Cottages, the Council's first and New Zealand's first Council elderly housing. HPC has the expectation the Heritage Team should be consulted on their Heritage significance.

HPC seeks your support that for any financial calculations relating to any decisions on the future of the Barnett Ave Cottages include Whole of Life Carbon Cycle Costs for both refurbishment and demolition/new build (the demolition costs the include end of life costings).

Thank you for listening to this Public Forum presentation.

Mark Gerrard

Chair Historic Places Canterbury

Historic Places Canterbury Public Forum Presentation to the Christchurch City Council 10.03.2022

Historic Places Canterbury Public Forum Presentation to the Christchurch City Council

Thursday, 10th March 2022

Mayor and Councillors,

Thank You for allowing me to make this presentation.

Historic Places Canterbury (HPC) has concerns about the processes leading up to and the decision to demolish the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library. 

Our major concerns are the following:

Lack of Extensive Community Engagement.

HPC considers the community and stakeholders should have had a say in the future of this iconic building, on site since 1919.

After HPC raised its concerns publicly; a Christchurch RSA has been in touch expressing an interest. For myself, within a minute of finishing my live interview with Radio New Zealand’s Jessie Mulligan, a property developer rang asking about strengthening costs. There is interest in the community. 

HPC has received an usually large number of emails expressing opposition to the proposed demolition.

HPC has been told that regular ANZAC services were held at the Library with an attendance of 200 odd people, chairs were lent by the adjacent Spagalimis and a local bakery opening up early to supply food.

Why will the CCC not work with the community to retain and determine a future for this building?

No Heritage Assessment included in the Report to Council.

The CCC Heritage Team did not provide a formal heritage assessment of the building. The question needs to be raised, why were they not asked? A 1919 building called the Upper Riccarton War Memorial Library, any reasonable Christchurch Resident would conclude it should have been assessed by the CCC Heritage Team before a recommendation to demolish.

Surely the CCC should be leading by example? This is a case where Leadership was required.

Some of the Councillors may recall similar circumstances occurred with the Yaldhurst Memorial Hall. We were given assurances then, it would not happen again.

Stating the building was not listed with the HNZPT or scheduled in the District Plan so it has little heritage relevance, the cost, no economic use (as assessed by CCC Staff) are similar arguments used regularly by Property Developers when they plan to demolish. Surely the CCC can do better and lead by example?

CCC Heritage Strategy- Our Heritage Out Taonga

I could find no reference to this Strategy in the report to Council. 

The question is being asked what is the value of this much consulted and supported strategy that a 1919 War Memorial Library Building does not warrant an assessment yet alone a reference to the Strategy in a CCC Report?

Jock Philips in his book “To the Memory” observed there was a transition from Sculptural Monuments (South African/WW1) to Living Memorials (like the WW 2 Memorial Halls). This Library Building, a Living WW1 Memorial, the first of severn, could be significant. It awaits the CCC Heritage Team to make this assessment.

Mark Gerrard 

Chair Historic Places Canterbury

Historic Places Canterbury C.C.C. Public Forum Presentation- The Town Hall (And The Arches)

The following is the text of the Public Forum Presentation given by the Chair of HPC to the Christchurch City Council.

CCC Public Forum Presentation: Christchurch Town Hall (and the Arches)

28thFeb  2019

Deputy Mayor and Councillors

Thank You for allowing Historic Places Canterbury (HPC) to make this Public Forum Presentation.

HPC wishes to offer our congratulations and express our appreciation to the Councillors, past and present, the Council Staff, Engineers, Acoustic Engineers Architects and related Building Professionals, Hawkins and the Sub Contractors for their efforts in the successful restoration and enhancement of the Christchurch Town Hall. Our Town Hall!

HPC wishes to acknowledge the efforts of Sir Miles Warren, Maurice Mahoney Dr Ian Lochhead, Dr Jessica Halliday, and the many individuals and groups who made Deputations,  wrote letters to remind us why the Town Hall’s restoration is important to our city. The Town Hall is special and we await for Dr Ian Lochhead to inform us how special it really is when his book is released.

HPC wishes to draw the attention of the Councillors to the CCC Staff (and Hawkins) whose actions will be not be widely known but for whom HPC is appreciative. From Senior Managers down there was a concerted effort to ensure the Heritage Advocates were briefed on the work as it progressed and gave explanations on  how the buildings heritage features and interior objects would be retained and restored. As Chair of HPC I have been on three tours to view the progress of the work. On numerous occasions CCC Managers have introduced themselves to me. They have been informative, discrete, inclusive and attentive to the details- the CCC at its best.

HPC would like to draw the Councillors attention and commend another CCC Staff initiative. The asphalting of the Arches and Landscaping of their surroundings.

We now have a weatherproof path connecting the CBD and Victoria Street via the Arches and Victoria Square. CERA proposed a permanent pathway in their Victoria Square Restoration Consultation. For reasons unknown nothing eventuated until the Council Staff took the initiative. The CCC Staff organised the asphalting and landscaping. It is a great outcome that Councillors I am sure you will agree with

HPC asks that while we celebrate the Town Hall opening we should continue bragging about our Heritage in our Civic Discourse. We have much to be proud of: The Christchurch Town Hall, the Isaac Theatre Royal, the Arts Cente, Provincial Council Buildings,   we are the home of the Hamilton jet, Rutherford's University, Kate Shepherd and the campaigners for the votes for women, the Brazier Brothers responsible for the first commercial top dressing drop, McDougal's gift of an Art Gallery, Thomas Edmunds expression of gratitude by gifting us the Poplars, Band Rotunda and Clock Tower , Ell's vision of the Port Hills that is still as relevant today and the Great Christchurch Public Debates to name a few. It is a heritage we should be celebrating in our everyday conversation and public discourse

Finally to close HPC notes the individual moments are as important as the great civic events, the Town Hall joins the Isaac Theatre Royal the Great Hall of the Arts Centre and our heritage buildings where the individual magic is recreated. At every citizenship ceremony , Christchurch School of Music Concert, University Graduation the Town Hall will recreate the individual magic again and again and again.

Thank You Councillors.

Mark Gerrard
Chair Historic Places Canterbury